France Returns Smuggled Fossils To Brazil

[Oxytropidoceras]

France returns looted fossils to Brazil

EFE, November 06, 2014

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2014/11/06/france-returns-looted-fossils-to-brazil/

Related and older articles are:

Brazil clamps down on illegal fossil trade

Debate rages as collectors accused of

exporting specimens face up to 20 years

in jail by Elizabeth Gibney, March 4, 2014

http://www.nature.com/news/brazil-clamps-down-on-illegal-fossil-trade-1.14808

Cretaceous crimes that fuel the fossil trade

The Times of Higher Education, Nov. 8, 1999

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/features/cretaceous-crimes-that-fuel-the-fossil-trade/148688.article

Yours,

Paul H.

[Coco]

Hi,

If fossils were exported illegally, it is normal that they go back there.

Coco

[siteseer]

Paul H.,

Thanks for the link.

When I started collecting fossils in the late 80's, I saw a lot of the Cretaceous fish and Permian mesosaurs (common fossils in their Brazilian deposits) for sale at shows. I saw one pterosaur skull for sale during the 90's and I think it was from Brazil. By the late 90's, I saw very few mesosaurs and a lot fewer fish for sale. That told me that the export of fossils either became illegal during the 90's or the Brazilians had been tolerating what had been technically illegal until they saw the situation getting out of hand (so much material for sale; high selling prices for mesosaurs and pterosaur material).

I thought it was interesting to read non-Brazilian paleontologists actually defend dealers because they were ones making the specimens available to science.

I know that John Long, Australian paleoichthyologist and museum official, made a great effort to repatriate Gogo Formation fossils (primarily holotypes) that were housed in museums outside the country. I can understand a country's scientists wanting to repatriate holotypes and other significant specimens found at home but trying to reclaim everything they want that left the country over decades can also be seen as "sour grapes." Nobody seemed to care for a while (though they did in the Australian case). Despite that, over time and in the spirit of everybody in the club playing nice, the Brazilians should be able to get back the holotypes through some kind of inter-museum negotiation as in the case of the Gogo fossils. However, I think they are also going to have to show the international community that they are serious about taking care of their specimens (including compensation for foreign institutions for the transportation, preparation, and curation of those specimens which often goes unappreciated by those who don't do it). I know that sounds like a "first-world view" but it would be a shame to give them back only to find out some of them were later damaged or "lost" somehow.

Jess

France returns looted fossils to Brazil

EFE, November 06, 2014

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2014/11/06/france-returns-looted-fossils-to-brazil/

Related and older articles are:

Brazil clamps down on illegal fossil trade

Debate rages as collectors accused of

exporting specimens face up to 20 years

in jail by Elizabeth Gibney, March 4, 2014

http://www.nature.com/news/brazil-clamps-down-on-illegal-fossil-trade-1.14808

Cretaceous crimes that fuel the fossil trade

The Times of Higher Education, Nov. 8, 1999

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/features/cretaceous-crimes-that-fuel-the-fossil-trade/148688.article

Yours,

Paul H.